Track aligner



June 19, 1951 D, R, ZANG 2,557,853

TRACK ALIGNER Filed Aug. 11, 1948 JNVENToR. Day/'d Zang BY I .L`M

Aff'y Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACK ALIGNERDavid R. Zang, Oakland, Calif.

Application August 11, 1948, Serial No. 43,651

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in stabilizers for use ontrack-laying tractors.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means formaintainingthe individual tracks of a track-lay-er in parallel alignmentand to prevent any twisting action of the tractors and to prevent themfrom toeing in or out, thus eliminating strain on the track links, theaxle, and the driving sprockets.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may beattached to an ordinary tractor of the track-laying type, withoutmaterially altering its construction, one which will be easy to service,and one wherein adjustments may be readily made to accommodate for wear.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1' is a front elevation of my device, as the same appears whensecured to a track-laying tractor;

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of Fig. 1 and on a reduced scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and onan enlarged scale.

Track-laying tractors usually consist of a frame, upon which the powerunit is mounted, which unit drives a rear axle having a pair ofsprockets, and upon which are pivotally mounted the track-layingelements.

Inasmuch as these tracks rock about the axis of the rear axles, theyhave an up-and-down movement at their forward ends, and as these forwardends are practically unsupported, other than by a loosely-mountedbody-supported light spring, there is a tendency for the front of thetracks to toe in or out and thus to get out of alignment, which resultsin excessive strains being applied to the rear axle and the drivingsprockets, as well as the links of the track.

Applicant has devised means for maintaining the front portions of thetracks in alignment, yet allowing for up-and-down movement of the tracksindividually, at the same time maintaining the tracks against canting ortwisting, thus relieving the aforementioned strains.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustrationis shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the tractor body, as awhole, is designated by the numeral 5, and

the rear axle by the numeral 6, which axle, in turn, drivesground-engaging tracks I and 8.

These tracks are, in turn, supported upon frame members, as shown at 9and I I respectively.

To each of the frame members I secure a bracket, as shown at I2 and I3.As each of these brackets is the same, but one will be described.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the bracket I3, has a Thead I4, extending therefrom, so as to provide forwardly andrearwardlyextending portions, which are slidably engaged by wear platesI6 and I'I, mounted in a housing I8, formed on the end of a spreader barI 9, which is secured to the frame of the tractor 5.

The wear plate I6 is secured in the housing in any desired manner, whilethe wear plate Il is adjustably held through the medium of a bolt 2 I,freely movable through the housing and having a spring 22,inter-positioned between the housing and the head of the bolt.

Adjusting bolts 23, threadedly positioned in the housing, have theirends bearing against the wear plate, the purpose of which will be laterseen.

Both of these wear plates have a hardened surface, as shown at 24.

The result of this construction is that, when the bolts 23 are adjustedso as to position the wear plate II against the T head I4, the oppositeside of the T head will, in turn, be pressed against the wear plate I6.v

The adjustment is such that a nice, sliding contact is maintainedbetween the rubbing surfaces and, as wear occurs, adjustment of thebolts will compensate for the wear.

It will be apparent that this arrangement permits the T heads to moveupwardly and downwardly with the movement of the forward end of thetracks, about the axis of the shaft 6, and yet prevents the forward endsof the tracks from approaching each other, thus keeping them inalignment and, at the same time, this arrangement will eliminate anytendency of the .tracks to twist out of their parallel alignment withthe ground.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a tractor, a pair of rigidly xed parallel side members, a pair ofvertically disposed guide brackets each carried by a respective sidemember, said guide brackets projecting from the adjacent forward ends ofsaid side members and having rectilinear guide heads extendingVertically in fixed parallel relation, a spreader member xed immovablyto the tractor body and'extending transversely of the forward end ofsaid tractor between said guide brackets, and vertical guide meansrigidly xed to the ends of said spreader member and engaging around saidguide heads to maintain said guide brackets in constant parall lelrelation.

2. In a tractor, a pair of rigidly xed parallel side members, a pair ofvertically disposed guide brackets each carried by a respective sidemem-- ber, said guide brackets projecting from the adjacent forward endsof said side members and having rectilinear guide heads extendingVertically in fixed parallel relation, a spreader member xed immovablyto the tractor body and extending transversely of the forward end ofsaid tractor between said guide brackets, guide sleeves rigidly fixedvertically to the ends of said spreader bar and surrounding said guideheads, wear plates interposed between the walls of said guide sleevesand said vertical guide heads, and means to adjust said wear plates.

DAVID R. ZANG.

REFERENCES CITED TheV following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,223,802 Heaslet Dec. 3, 1940FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 474,958 Germany Apr. 16, 1929

